Undergraduate Course: Medieval Welsh Texts 1 (CELT10005)
Course Outline
School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
Summary | Medieval Welsh Texts 1 and 2 are taught in coherent sequence, side-by-side across the academic year. In Semester 1, there is co-ordination between weekly topics across both courses, while in Semester 2 different texts will be read for each course, and skills in orthography, palaeography, and transcription from Medieval Welsh manuscripts will be introduced to Medieval Welsh Texts 2.
The course(s) begin with an introduction to the basic pronunciation, grammar, and syntax of Medieval Welsh, and proceed to reading selected passages from Medieval Welsh prose texts with continuing emphasis on parsing key grammatical and syntactical features.
The course will be delivered in English.
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Course description |
In Semester 1, introductory topics will include:
The pronunciation and spelling of Medieval Welsh
Parts of speech and word order
The nominal system
The verbal system and syntax
Pronouns
The verbal noun
The verb bot 'to be'
Irregular verbs
The 'little words'
In Semester 2, students will apply these skills to reading and translating passages from different texts for each half of the course, typically Breudwyt Macsen ('The dream of Maxen') for MWTs 1, and one of Pedeir Keinc Y Mabinogi (the 'Four Branches of the Mabinogi') for MWTs 2. For the latter, students will begin to transcribe from the manuscripts in which the text/s in question are preserved.
Course-work consists of (1) background and follow-up general reading of primary and critical material, (2) specific reading in preparation for classes, (3) engagement with and contribution to active learning events. Summative assessment begins in Semester 2, and will consist of short assignments responding to passages of seen and unseen texts, and a longer summary assignment assessing acquisition of skills in grammar, syntax, and transcription.
Across both semesters, students are expected to prepare certain exercises and assignments as 'homework'. For text-reading classes in Semester 2, the workload consists of advance preparation of texts, and participation in discussion of their translation, form, content, and context as appropriate.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | Students MUST also take:
Medieval Welsh Texts 2 (CELT10006)
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Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | The course will be delivered in English, but students should normally have studied a language to higher level, or be enrolled for another language course at university level. |
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisites | Please note pre-requisites as stated above. |
High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the basic grammatical and syntactical structure, and of the basic pronunciation, of Medieval Welsh .
- Display reading ability of passages from edited Medieval Welsh texts.
- Demonstrate an understanding of Medieval Welsh palaeography and orthography.
- Display ability in transcription of passages from Medieval Welsh manuscripts.
- Demonstrate awareness of certain aspects of the content of set texts in their original language of composition.
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Contacts
Course organiser | Dr Kate Mathis
Tel:
Email: Kate.Mathis@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Vivien MacNish Porter
Tel: (0131 6)50 3528
Email: vivien.macnish-porter@ed.ac.uk |
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